The Big Game
by UsayImaDreamer
Summary: Part 5 of my Breaking Dawn Quote Drabbles. Edward's out for a night with the boys... what will Bella say when he gets back?


**DISCLAIMER: **These characters are the property of Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing with them!

**Part 5 of my Breaking Dawn Quote Drabbles.**

That night, I slept at Edward's, giving Charlie the excuse that I was just helping Alice out with last minute wedding details. Rolling around in that big empty bed, though, made me wonder what Charlie would think if he knew the _real_ reason I spent the night. Earlier in the day, I really had been subjected to helping Alice with some details. We were in the kitchen, poring over the board she had made of the seating arrangements. Well, she was overanalyzing while I sat back and pretending to be interested.

Edward had been in the living room; I could hear him on the piano, notes filtering delicately through the door. I wanted to go hear him play, but Alice shook her head.

"He's writing something for the wedding," she whispered to me. "He'd be upset if you heard it before… well, before your first dance."

My stomach twisted into knots for two reasons. "What?" I stared at her blankly for a moment, letting the information settle. "He's writing something, for me? And we have to dance? In front… in front of everyone?" My head started to spin at the idea. "That's just… that's not going to be possible Alice."

She just grinned at me and went back to the seating table. "It's going to be fine Bella." When I didn't answer, she glanced up again. "He'll be there to catch you," she said softly. I stared at her, my eyes still wide. "And I'm not just talking about tomorrow either."

Alice's words reassured me then; Edward would lead and I would follow. Just like it should be, and just like it would be, forever. Her eyes went slightly out of focus for a moment and I paused, waiting for her vision to pass. At first, Alice's "moments" of seeing the future would bother me, disturb me in some way. But lately I'd grown used to them. When she snapped out of it, I asked her calmly, "Anything important?"

Her face twisted into a scowl and she threw her hands down on the table. "Oh no, they are absolutely _not_," she growled, her chair scraping against the wood floor as she stood up quickly.

I stood up as well, concerned at Alice's sudden anger. "What did you see? Alice? Hey, wait!" She had turned towards the living room door and flung it open. Reluctantly, I followed after her, only after I heard the piano notes stop.

The scene was quite comical by all appearances; Edward was sitting on the piano bench, turned around, facing Alice. At standing height, Alice was barely taller than Edward's sitting height, but she stood there with her finger pointed out at him, scowling in a low voice. As I walked closer, Edward's eyes flickered to mine and I sensed that he was feeling guilt. Guilt for something he'd done, or hadn't done… yet?

"Edward, you listen to me. That is a terrible, terrible idea," Alice growled. I'd never seen her so angry before; she was almost shaking.

I was standing next to her now and Edward's arm reached out to grab my hand. He pulled me closer to him and I slid myself onto one of his legs to sit. "Alice, it's not even my idea. Why are you getting mad at me?" From his tone, I could tell he thought that whatever Alice was fuming about was slightly funny.

Turning to stare into his molten eyes, I asked, "What is she going on about?" Edward's lips pressed firmly together and his mouth twisted up in a slight grin. He shook his head softly, like he wasn't going to tell me. "Oh come on! That's not fair." My protests didn't persuade him.

Alice continued to glare at him. "Edward, promise me you aren't going to do this."

Edward turned back towards Alice. "How can I promise you something that I have no idea is going to"-

But Edward's reply was cut off by the entrance of Emmett and Jasper, coming in from the hallway that led to the garage. Leaning against Edward, I could feel him sigh. Emmett walked up to the piano, far too gracefully for his enormous size, and bent down towards Edward. I'm sure there was some mental communication going on between them that I was missing, but Edward didn't reply to Emmett's thoughts.

Alice had taken Jasper by the elbow and was whispering to him, softly but the look on her face was still dark. I was caught up in watching the two of them that I didn't realize Edward had gently moved me from his lap to the hard bench.

"Edward, where are you going?" I asked, but I could feel a sinking in my heart already.

I looked at Emmett, standing next to Edward, dominating but with the most playful grin on his face. "Sorry, Bella," Emmett said, putting a firm arm around Edward's shoulder. "I have to borrow your boy here for the night. You know, _bachelor_ stuff."

Yes, _bachelor stuff_. Confirmed the sinking heart feeling. "Oh." I said simply.

Edward tilted his head towards me, his eyes caring. "Don't worry, Bella. I promise I'll behave." He smiled down at me and even that grin couldn't recover the disappointment I was feeling.

"So is that what Alice saw then?" His eyes flickered darkly to where Alice and Jasper's conversation had grown louder and more disagreeable. Then he turned back to me.

"Do you trust me?"

What a silly question. "Of course I do."

He grinned at me. "Then don't worry about a thing."

"Okay, Edward, say goodbye. The sun's almost set and it's time for us to, well, do our 'guy' stuff," Emmett explained.

Edward leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I'll be back later. Don't wait up for me, love." And he turned to walk towards the garage, Emmett's arm still dangling over his shoulder.

I turned back to where Alice and Jasper were standing just as Alice threw her tiny hands up in frustration. She stormed away from him, taking the front stairs at a run, leaving Jasper and me alone in the living room. Jasper turned to go towards the garage to join his brothers, and gave me a nod.

"Wait!" I called, before I could think of words to say to him. Jasper hesitated, glancing towards the garage. I could hear Emmett firing up the Jeep and I knew I had to ask fast. **"Jasper? What do vampires do for bachelor parties?"** The words felt silly coming out of my mouth, but I had to know now. When he didn't respond immediately, I felt a sneaking confirmation. **"You're not taking him to a strip club, are you?"** My face flushed a deep crimson as I said this.

Jasper's awkward stare broke into a grin; I felt his calming touch work on me then, spreading through me from head to toe. He shook his head. "No, Bella. As much as Emmett wants to… No."

I felt satisfied with this answer and smiled as Jasper followed his brothers out towards the garage. Now, lying in Edward's dark room, I glanced at the clock. It was almost 4 AM. I tossed and turned again, throwing my fists out against the empty blanket next to me. Without Jasper here to calm me, I felt absolutely foolish for letting Edward leave earlier. I should have dragged him to his room and… handcuffed him to this bed, or something equally crazy. Who knew what kind of trouble Alice had foreseen that Edward would get into?

Frustrated, I threw the blankets off my flushed body. I felt hot with anger and the covers weren't helping. I shut my eyes determinedly, desperate to find some consolation in some sort of sleep.

"Well someone looks a little warm this evening." Edward's velvet voice cut through the darkness of the room and my eyes flew open. I saw him walking around the side of the bed, taking his shoes off carefully before sitting down at the edge by my feet.

My eyes narrowed. "Don't you mean this morning?"

Edward sighed and slid his body up the bed, pressing it against mine. Even through his clothes, I could feel the coolness of his body grant mine some relief. His strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me as close as possible. "I'm sorry, Bella. We went a little farther than we meant to tonight."

"And what does that mean?" I found myself asking, jealousy tainting my usual complacent tone.

He laughed quietly and leaned his lips down, pressing them against mine softly. "Not what you're thinking," he whispered. "They took me hunting for the big game, Bella. That's all."

Suddenly, all my worries and petty irritations seemed ridiculous. Of course Edward wouldn't have done anything as un-Edward as going to a _strip club_. For crying out loud, this wedding was putting me on my last nerve and suddenly I couldn't wait until it was over. Then Edward would _officially_ be all mine, and I wouldn't have to worry about all this stuff anymore.

His lips slid down against my jaw and then my neck. "I told you to trust me," he murmured.

My breath caught in my throat as I tried to form words. "Did you get anything… good?"

Edward nodded against my neck. "Quite a few mountain lions," he whispered, a growl purring in his chest. "You have no idea what a few of those can do to me."

I could hear my heart thudding wildly against my chest, and I'm certain he could not miss its insane beating. "Oh really? Like… what?"

One of Edward's arms moved down my waist, along my hip, and caught under my leg. Quickly, he hitched the leg up over his and rolled us so that I was lying on top of him. Oh god, what a time for déjà vu. In the dark, I could see the crooked grin flashing at me. "Makes me a little more… playful than I probably should be," he whispered, his hands coming back to rest on my waist.

I could barely breathe at this point. We were _so_ close to the wedding; one night of amazing hunting couldn't let us throw away all our hard-earned waiting. "Edward," I breathed, easing my body down so my head could rest on his chest. "We're so close."

He sighed, and his hands moved upward, one securing against my back and the other winding into my hair. "I know," he mumbled. His lips pressed against the top of my head again. "You're too good for me."

I laughed, sneaking my hands under his shoulder and holding onto him tightly. "And you're too good for me." We lay in silence for a while, my breathing returning to a normal, rhythmic pace. He stroked my hair softly, waiting for me to fall asleep. "Soon, Edward," I whispered. "Soon."


End file.
